Saba Skhvitaridze, an activist and member of the opposition Ahali party, was sentenced to 2 years in prison after a court found him guilty of inflicting “intentional bodily harm” while confronting police at a protest.

Skhvitaridze pleaded innocent.

Tbilisi City Court Judge Jvebe Nachkebia announced the ruling on September 3.

Originally charged under Article 353 Prima of the Georgian Criminal Code, involving assaulting a police officer and causing health damage, a crime punishable by 7 to 11 years in prison, Skhvitaridze’s case was later reclassified under Article 120 as inflicting “intentional minor bodily harm,” an offense carrying a milder penalty of a fine, correctional labor, house arrest, or one to three years in prison.

Skhvitaridze was detained on December 4.